JOHOR BARU: Those travelling between Johor and Singapore need not worry about the new QR code system for immigration clearance at the two land checkpoints, says the Immigration Department.
Its state acting director Mohd Faizal Shamsudin said although the proof-of-concept (POC) period begins on Saturday, MBike, existing E-gates and manual counters will still be available for travellers to use.
“The public do not have to panic as they can continue to clear immigration as usual, without having to use the new QR code system.
“Of course, we encourage travellers to register and try out the new system during the POC period, but it is not compulsory for them to do so until we announce the deadline date,” he told The Star in an exclusive interview here.
He added that during the POC period, the Immigration Department will be testing a few QR code systems for all modes of transportation.
“For a start, those travelling via bus and motorcycle could try out the QR code system at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex CIQ (KSAB) in the Second Link through MyTRIP, which is embedded in the MySejahtera mobile app.
“They have to update their MySejahtera app first. Once they do that, they can link their passport through MyTRIP and generate a QR code, which will then be scanned to clear immigration.
“The QR code will only be valid for 30 seconds as part of its security feature. If they miss it, they have to generate a new one,” he said, adding that users are also not allowed to screenshot the QR code generated.
Mohd Faizal said during the POC period, KSAB will have six dedicated lanes for bus passengers who want to try out the QR code system, and 10 for motorcyclists.
“There will be four QR code scanners installed at the exit lanes and another two at the entry lanes for buses. For motorcycles, five lanes will be made available for the entry and another five for the exit,” he said.
At Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI), at least two other mobile apps will soon be made available for the public to download from Google Play Store, he added.
“We are using different apps so that we can make a comparison between several vendors, including in terms of pricing and system efficiency. We will then choose the best one.
“The other apps will be made available soon, and there are at least two different vendors involved. For now, only those travelling by bus can use the QR code system at BSI,” said Mohd Faizal, adding that 10 scanners will be installed at the bus exit lanes and another 10 at the entry lane there.
On concerns whether the new QR code will cause issues especially for those without a mobile phone or with a weak Internet connection, he said the department will also be working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to boost connectivity at both BSI and KSAB to ensure travellers can use the system smoothly.
“Anyway, we have manual counters that the people can use.
“We also welcome the public to give their feedback on the system and the apps through our social media platforms,” he said, adding that they have already started posting videos and information about the QR codes.
For the 40,000 motorcyclists who have MBike passes, Mohd Faizal said the stickers also have QR codes and they will see if it is possible to integrate them.
“Once everything is fully implemented, the MBike system will be phased out eventually,” he said, urging the public to be patient during the POC period.
